Motorcycle Ride to Starved Rock

In May 2008 I took my first longish ride on my new VFR. 260 miles round trip from home down to Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois, and then home again. I've ridden down there dozens of times on my Nighthawk, but this time I mapped out a very indirect route that took me down new roads and through towns that I have neven passed through before. Naturally, the main road through Starved Rock (Rt. 71) was closed due to construction, but I still really enjoyed taking the long way around.


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In the garage, ready to go.



Ogden Ave at 6:30am on a Sunday.









Route 71 near Yorkville.





A desoltate farm road near Lisbon. I love this kind of riding.







Farmland in Lisbon.



On the road.



There were some nice curvy/hilly roads south of Lisbon.





At the bottom of one of the hills was a bridge over a small stream.







This was a nice desolate stretch of road west of Morris.





This was a nice road on the way to Seneca.



I stopped to change maps at the marina in Seneca.



Not much traffic in Marseilles at this time of the morning.





The Army has training grounds here.



N2553 Rd near Illinis State Park is a nice road.





I stopped along Rt. 71 where it follows the Illinois river into Starved Rock.







The main street into Naplate is interesting.



A bridge over the Illinois River





There was a motorcycle gathering going on at the state park. I did not get my VFR blessed....



Coming into the park.


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I took Rt. 6 west towards Spring Valley and then headed south on Rt 89.







After taking Rt. 6 back towards Seneca, I ended up on Dupont Road in Morris.





The weather started out at about 36 degrees, but it warmed up into the 60's. It was just about a perfect day of riding!